The Raven's Plight
by Aulviss
Summary: As war grips the Inner Sphere, tensions heat up between the Draconis Combine and the Raven Alliance.
1. Chapter 1

**MechWarrior: Dark Age - The Raven's Plight**

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A/N: I don't own MechWarrior or anything associated with it, more's the pity. I made up the characters with the exception of Sterling McKenna. Read and review, or don't. I enjoy writing so will probably continue. AJB.  
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**Chapter One**

_**Fort Mitchell, Meteora City  
**__**Ramgarh, Raven Alliance  
**__**23 May 3136**_

Star Colonel Gavriil McKenna watched as an infantry patrol passed beneath the window of his office. Though this world was thoroughly pacified, only a fool let down his guard. He glanced up towards the sky, tinged towards mauve, and the flagpole bearing the standard of the Raven Alliance swam into view.

He was on this world supervising the rebuilding of the 7th Raven Stoop Cluster. The unit had been denuded of experienced personnel, an effort on the part of Khan Sterling McKenna to bring the Touman back to its former glory. Unfortunately that meant Gavriil was left with the unenviable job of rebuilding his cluster.

A rapping at the door preceded the entry of his subordinates. Star Captain's Tasneem Patterson and Kyril nodded in greeting. The third Star Captain, Amanda Therrian, tossed a sketchy salute. Amanda was a freeborn of Outworlds Alliance parentage. Though freeborn, she was an excellent warrior but unlikely to advance beyond Star Colonel. Old habits died hard. The last to enter was someone Gavriil was still becoming accustomed to; Major Adair Castleton of the 4th Crucis Lancers of the Federated Suns.

Allowing everyone to get comfortable, Gavriil perched himself on the edge of his desk. While he waited, he eyed the Davion carefully, unsure whether to trust her or not. "I will get straight to the point. How does the training progress?"

Tasneem, who had only recently gained her bloodname, spoke first. "My trinary is proceeding well. Cohesion amongst the warriors is greatly improved. I had a brief problem with Star Commander Maia, but I have since persuaded her that my way is best."

Gavriil smirked, knowing full well that Star Commander Maia was in the infirmary recovering from a pair of broken ribs. The Star Colonel next turned to Amanda Therrian. "What is the status of your deca, Star Captain?"

Amanda ran a hand through her raven black hair. "Let's just say that my troops don't appreciate serving under a free," she said with a trace of an Outworlder accent. "I'll get them in line if I have to bust open every single one of their genegineered heads. Uh… sir."

"That is alright Star Captain. In fact it is no less than expected. Such outdated thinking needs to be eradicated. You may, however, wish to clean up your speech. Inform me if any of your warriors become two unruly. Otherwise I expect you to keep whipping them into shape."

"Aff Star Colonel," she replied somewhat sheepishly.

At last he turned to Kyril. "So old friend, do you have anything new to report?"

"Neg Star Colonel. My triad is shaping up quite nicely. Unit efficiency is up by fifty percent. I have had only one discipline problem, Warrior Kehoe. He now regrets his difference of opinion."

"Very well then. It appears that training and integration are proceeding slightly ahead of schedule. That is good as I received some rather disturbing news . Galaxy Commander Howe has informed me that forces belonging to the Homeworlds are staging an invasion of the Rasalhague Dominion and Hell's Horses Occupation Zone. We are to go on high alert in anticipation of strikes here."

That got the attention of all present. Even the Davion knew that contact with the homeworlds had been lost decades ago. That they were returning as hostiles was surprising indeed.

"Anyway, I wanted to make sure that you were all kept apprised. Dismissed." The officers rose and departed. As Castleton made to leave Gavriil spoke out. "Major, if you would stay behind please."

Once the Star Captain's were gone Gavriil turned to the Major. "And how do you find life in the Alliance?"

She turned to him, dark brown eyes focusing on his blue. "Different. For example, no one in the AFFS would beat their soldiers for disagreeing with them."

McKenna chuckled. "I find your lack of diplomatic tact refreshing Major."

Adair wasn't sure whether to be insulted or not. She was about to respond when an alarm began to blare.

Gavriil got up and returned to his desk. "CIC, this is McKenna. What is going on."

"Sir," came the disembodied voice of one of the bases innumerable comm techs, "We have detected a jump emergence. Satellite scans indicate a Draconis Combine JumpShip, Starlord class. They have detached DropShips. ETA… five days."

"Thank you technician." Gavriil shut off the comm relay. "Well Major. I think things just got much more interesting."

_**  
DropShip Blade of Truth  
**__**Inbound Vector, Ramgarh  
**__**Raven Alliance  
**__**28 May 3136**_

Tai-sa Shilo Declerque was worried. Not about the looming battle, she had fought the Ravens on several occasions. No, what worried her was the unofficial nature of this strike. It had been made quite clear to her by Tai-shu Matsuhara Toranaga that if this attack failed, it would be her head on the chopping block, not his.

She was leading in a heavy battalion of the 21st New Samarkand Regulars, a sizable force in this age of disarmament. The ISF placed a cluster of Ravens on the planet, front-line troops. It was shaping up to be a far too even fight, but she had little option but to follow through. Rumour had it that Director Bhatia of the ISF had had a hand in shaping this mission. She felt like a pawn in a larger game, the game waged amongst the highest levels of the Combine.

A light flashed on her panel, forcing her to redirect her thoughts. Landing was about to commence and she had to finish her checks on her _Ninja-to_. With luck she could return to her musings later. Now she had a battle to win.

With his scanners set to maximum range, Gavriil McKenna watched the Combine ships descend, their hulls proudly displaying the serpentine dragon of the Combine. The DropShips grounded and opened their hatches. 'Mechs, tanks, and APC's debarked and formed up. A quick count revealed approximately a cluster of forces. Gavriil smiled coldly. An even fight.

Throttling up his _Summoner_, Gavriil began the advance. All of the available defenders followed, with the notable exception of Major Castleton's Crucis Lancers. Though eager to join in, they were under strict instructions to avoid combat whenever possible. Truthfully McKenna preferred it that way. He trusted the Davions about as much as he trusted the Combine. Meaning not at all.

Star Captain Therrian's deca, or binary, had been deployed as a scouting force. It was ideally suited, boasting an assortment of fast hovercraft, VTOL's and light 'Mechs. Kyril's triad was being held in reserve, while Star Captain Patterson's trinary advanced alongside his own.

The first sign of the enemy was a pair of Enyo tanks. Gavriil fired his PPC, making short work of the Combine vehicles. His real targets were the 'Mechs still advancing towards his position. He swung his targeting reticle onto a _Panther_ and fired his LRM's once the lock was confirmed. The light 'Mech withered the assault, but still took damage. It returned fire, its own single PPC melting armour off McKenna's _Summoner_. He returned with a burst from his autocannon, scouring tons of armour from the _Panther_. Before the Kurita pilot could react, McKenna fired another round of LRM's, knocking the Panther onto its back. When it made no move to rise McKenna bypassed it, seeking worthier prey.

He found it in the form of an _Avatar_, one of the Combine's early attempts at OmniMech technology. It basically copied the abilities of the _Mad Dog_. This _Avatar_ was obviously piloted by a superior warrior, for it was cutting a swath through his infantry and vehicles. A shattered _Storm Crow _lay at its feet. A Maxim transport and Kite recon vehicle burned in front of it. The Combine warrior spun his 'Mech to face Gavriil, firing his (her?) large lasers in the process. The shots hit home, melting armour off his _Summoner's_ chest. Gavriil locked on and fired his autocannon and PPC. The Combine warrior attempted to avoid the attack, resulting in all the damage hitting the _Avatar's_ right arm, destroying it. That pleased Gavriil, even though it had not been his original target.

He watched as two points of elementals came to his support, swarming the unlucky Combine 'Mech. Gavriil turned his back on it and stomped further into the field. This battle was far from over.

Tai-sa Declerque was sweating heavily in the confines of her cockpit, suffering due to the _Ninja-to's _lack of adequate heat sinks. She advanced and kicked aside a ground vehicle she didn't recognize, refusing to waste ammo or generate more heat on such an insignificant target.

A scan of the tactical display showed a confused situation. The Ravens had failed to commit their entire force to the battle, but still they managed to inflict heavy damage on her forces. The battle had been out of her control almost from the moment she had exited the DropShip. Though generally not accepted within the DCMS, she ordered a retreat back to the DropShips. She knew she had to accomplish this task on her own and refused to throw away the lives of her brave warriors.

Gavriil watched as the Combine battalion began to withdraw. He suspected this was not over, but knew better than to press his luck. "All forces, hold position. Kyril… Amanda… watch our uninvited guests. Tasneem, your trinary and mine will return to base for repair. I want suggestions for how to remove these pests from our world."

As the 7th Stoop moved to obey his orders Gavriil could not help but be impressed. For a unit that had very little time working together, they had performed admirably. It boded well for the next phase… kicking the Dragon off his world.


	2. Chapter 2

**MechWarrior: Dark Age - The Raven's Plight**

**Chapter 2**

_Three's mind drifted. They had been waiting in the silence of space for what seemed like weeks but had in reality been less than one day. Their proximity to the local star meant he and his team had soaked up a lethal dose of radiation, but they would live long enough to carry out their mission._

_Suddenly a hole seemed to open in the fabric of the universe and a ship appeared. The unmistakable profile of a Conqueror-class WarShip. The target had arrived. Immediately the team activated their jets and made for the vessel. Their glory was at hand._

_**RAS Frost Fire  
**__**Zenith Jump Point, Dneiper  
**__**Raven Alliance  
**__**31 May 3136**_

SaKhan Persis Anu, second most powerful woman in the Raven Alliance, stood proud and tall, her lean frame that of the aerospace phenotype. Though the ship floated in microgravity, her magnetic boots held her firmly in place. Her dark red hair had been cut short to better suit the environment. Though her bloodname was a general one claimed by many Clans she had managed to rise to a position of importance within the Snow Ravens. Her rise to power had been both meteoric and brutal.

A quiet chatter filled the bridge, technicians busily fulfilling their duties, seeing to the safety of the ship. The ship's commander, Star Commodore Ramirez Sukhanov, turned to face her. "All stations report secure saKhan. Deployment of the jump sail has begun."

"Excellent. You have things well in hand here. I shall be in my office if needed." She turned and began to leave when an alarm began to sound.

_Attaching themselves to the hull had been easy. Gaining entrance less so. The airlocks were well secured. Snow Raven elementals doubled as marines, but each team had successfully gained entry. Three followed his commander up to the bridge. The elemental guards were surprised by the appearance of three armoured figures. They put up a valiant, but ultimately futile, struggle. Two was killed by a sustained machine gun blast to the stomach, the bullets easily tearing through the thin armour. One had his arm torn off, but the HarJel prevented him from dying. Three managed to kill the guards and enter the bridge._

"What is happening Star Commodore?"

"One moment saKhan, we are determining that now." He checked several displays, then checked again. "My Khan, it appears that we have been boarded."

Incredulous Persis turned to Ramirez. "How is that possible? There are no other ships present."

"I do not know, but…" The Star Commodore was cut off by the sound of weapons fire on the other side of the door. A moment later the doors were forced open and an armoured figure entered. The armour was a glassy bronze colour and of a style unfamiliar to any of the Snow Ravens. The figure pulled two long knives from a place of concealment and advanced.

Star Commodore Sukhanov made to reach for his sidearm, but the figure threw one of the knives and in a display of amazing marksmanship pierced the Star Commodore's throat, severing the carotid artery. Sukhanov collapsed to the floor, twitching and gushing blood. He tried feebly to stop the blood flow, but his struggles ceased after a moment. He was dead.

Being a warrior, Persis Anu reacted as such. She drew her laser pistol and rapidly fired three shots as they bronze figure ran at her. The shots damaged the helmet, cracking the seemingly brittle material. The enemy raised its remaining knife and plunged it into Anu's shoulder. She cried out in pain and dropped the pistol.

As the saKhan fought, another bronze armoured figure entered the bridge, this one with only one arm. The second figure raised a machine gun and sprayed fire across techs and equipment alike. The few survivors, non of them warriors, wisely hid behind banks of electronics while formulating plans to help the saKhan.

Meanwhile Persis Anu continued her fight with the armed figure. Try as she might she was unable to gain any advantage over the intruder. In desperation she leapt towards the rapidly cooling corpse of Ramirez Sukhanov. Moving much faster than the intruder expected she tore the knife out of the Star Commodore's neck and whirled to face her opponent. The figure removed its damaged helmet revealing the face of a young man. His face was burnt, peeling and covered in blistered sores… all signs of radiation overexposure. His mouth pulled back in a rictus grin.

They charged at each other, weapons swinging. The knives clashed, a harsh metallic ringing accompanied by flying sparks. Persis was using her left hand, her right arm still numb from her earlier injury. Her opponent was quite skilled with a blade, she was having difficulty finding an opening.

The bridge crew had managed to take out the other figure, proving their worth as members of the Clan.

At last Persis found the opening she was looking for. With a desperate lunge she sank her knife into the throat of her opponent. He shuddered, a shocked expression on his then he fell back. Persis kicked his knife away then knelt beside him. "Who are you?"

The young man laughed, the blood gurgling in his throat. "You… think you've won? Ha cough you… are doomed…" With a final gurgle he died.

Persis stood up and glared down at the corpse for a moment until another alarm blared, calling for her attention. She raced over to an engineering station. There she saw something that made her blood run cold. The core temperature of the reactor's were spiking through the roof.

In the cold vastness of space the great bulk of the _Frost Fire _exploded, a brief flare before the airlessness of space snuffed it out forever.

_**Beta Galaxy Command Compound  
**__**Tabayama, Raven Alliance  
**__**8 June 3136**_

Galaxy Commander Kincaid Howe stared at the communiqué in disbelief. The destruction of the Frost Fire had been confirmed, as had the death of saKhan Persis Anu. Loremaster Julias Siegel had already been in contact with Khan McKenna. She had confirmed him, Kincaid Howe, as the new saKhan of the Raven Alliance.

There was much to do. He would have to appoint a new Galaxy Commander to the Storm Crow Galaxy. That could be done after he traveled to Alpheratz, where there were immediate concerns to look after… such as running the Alliance while Sterling sunk her talons into the ruling Davion.

A new day was dawning for the Alliance. Only time would tell whether he was up to the task.


End file.
